Sore throat: causes, symptoms, treatment

Very soon the slushy season will come, and with it the time of colds. One of these diseases is tonsillitis. Most often, children suffer from tonsillitis, but sometimes it also affects adults. What are the causes of this disease and how to treat it, we will tell you in this article.

Causes of sore throat

Typically, a sore throat appears as a result of harmful microorganisms entering the throat - streptococci, pneumococci or staphylococci. They can remain on household items after being used by an infected person. Substances that irritate the nasopharynx, such as dust or smoke, contribute to the development of the disease. The presence of inflammatory purulent processes in the mouth or nose can also cause the development of sore throat.

Possible causes of the disease include general hypothermia, overwork, vitamin deficiency, nervous tension.

Symptoms of a sore throat

Typically, a sore throat begins very quickly. Only a couple of days pass from the moment of infection to the appearance of the first signs of the disease. It all starts with a strong jump in body temperature, then a headache and aching bones appear, it becomes painful to swallow, and weakness occurs.

The most pronounced symptoms are in the lacunar form: the person suffers from chills, the temperature rises to 40 degrees, the patient suffers insomnia, loss of appetite. On the second day, the gradually increasing pain in the throat reaches its maximum. Usually, pain is localized on both sides of the pharynx, but sometimes there may be no pain at all.

The patient's lymph nodes located in the corners under the lower jaw are enlarged. Swollen tonsils can easily be seen in the patient's throat. In severe cases of the disease, areas of tissue necrosis form on the tonsils. They fall off and irregularities up to 1 cm in diameter remain in that place.

Types of sore throat

Not all people know that there are several types of sore throat. How do they differ and how to recognize them.

• Catarrhal tonsillitis is the most common and occurs more easily than other tonsillitis. Symptoms of this type of sore throat include a rapidly developing sore throat, it is difficult for the sick person to swallow, the tonsils turn red on both sides, the fever rises to 39 degrees, and there is a headache. Both children and adults suffer from catarrhal tonsillitis relatively easily, but do not try to treat this disease with frivolity. It can develop into a more severe form and lead to serious complications.
• Lacunar tonsillitis in children occurs with more severe symptoms. Children become capricious, sleep and eat poorly, and become lethargic. In the lacunar form, the throat is very sore, the tonsils become enlarged, signs of poisoning appear, the temperature rises to 40 degrees, and purulent plaque appears at the mouths of the lacunae. Symptoms develop rapidly. Only a few hours are enough for a healthy person to become a wreck.
• Follicular tonsillitis is similar to the previous type. It differs from it only in that suppuration occurs on the tonsils. There is a sharp pain when swallowing, radiating to the ears. Therefore, it is almost impossible to eat and drink. All signs of poisoning develop - nausea, weakness, aching bones.
• Herpetic type disease.  With this form of the disease, a condition similar to that of the flu occurs, abdominal pain occurs, the throat hurts very much, serous blisters appear on the surface of the tonsils and palate, and the lymph nodes in the neck swell.
• Fibrous tonsillitis is similar in symptoms to the follicular and lacunar types. It differs in that the yellowish coating covers the entire oral cavity.
• Phlegmonous tonsillitis mainly affects adults. This type of sore throat is a complicated form of catarrhal or follicular. Usually, in this case, a person develops a high temperature, severe pain in the throat, loss of voice, bad breath, swelling of the palate, pharynx and tonsils.

Treatment of sore throat

In most cases, to successfully treat a sore throat, a course of antibiotics is administered by the attending physician. It must be remembered that you must strictly adhere to the treatment plan prescribed by the specialist. This will allow you to cure the disease quickly and avoid possible complications.

You need to eat well. It should be a variety of dishes rich in vitamins. It is best to consume liquid porridges, broths, jelly, steamed cutlets, and drink plenty of fluids. You should not eat rough and spicy food.

If you suspect a sore throat, before the doctor arrives, you should often gargle with warm saline solution. In addition, use sucking preparations and aerosols that irrigate the throat. This will greatly reduce the pain when swallowing.

As prescribed by the doctor, you will need to take antibacterial drugs that quickly suppress the microflora and promote a speedy recovery. To reduce a very high temperature and reduce pain, the doctor may prescribe analgesics.

How to gargle for a sore throat

The most accessible and simplest substance for gargling is simple table salt. It is permissible to add soda or iodine to salt. Dilute a few drops of iodine, a little salt and soda in warm water and gargle often.

Gargling with green tea has a good effect in case of illness. Brew regular green tea, not in bags, add a little salt to it and use this remedy as a gargle.

Another good way is to rinse with herbal decoctions. Pour boiling water over eucalyptus, chamomile and calendula, let it brew and gargle with this infusion, after straining through a cloth. You can use ready-made preparations sold in pharmacies for rinsing.

Sore throat medications

Among the drugs used to treat angina, several of the most popular stand out.

Bioparox is an antibiotic with a wide spectrum of action. This remedy acts locally, only on the mucous membrane, and does not enter the blood. Bioparox is prescribed by a doctor and should not be used by children under three years of age. This remedy effectively relieves pain and reduces inflammation. The effect of the drug can be noticed already on the first day of use, and the symptoms disappear completely on the 4th day after the start of treatment.

Amoxcillin is used to treat the bacterial form of tonsillitis and its complications. It is available in the form of tablets or powder, with which a suspension is prepared. Relief occurs within a few minutes after administration and lasts up to 8 hours.

An effective remedy for sore throat

One of the most effective medicines for angina can be called Sumamed. It fights pathogens very well. When treated with this drug, improvement in the patient's condition can be seen already on day 2. In total, treatment lasts 5 days. The medicine needs to be taken only once a day. This is especially true when treating young children - it can be very difficult to persuade them to take any medicine.

Ingalipt spray is effective for treating sore throat. It has a local effect and has an antimicrobial effect. It is convenient to spray Inhalipt directly onto the affected throat. The spray should be used up to 4 times a day. It is important not to drink or eat anything immediately after spraying so that the medicine has time to take effect.

Traditional treatment for sore throat

In folk medicine, a sore throat is treated by rinsing with different compositions. Here are popular recipes.

• Eucalyptus rinse. Take a spoonful of dried eucalyptus and pour 500 ml of boiling water over the herb. Boil for a few minutes, then leave to steep for 30 minutes. Strain and use to gargle.
• A drink made from linden with honey is excellent for relieving fever during illness. Take half a liter of water for a handful of linden and boil it. Then strain and add honey to taste. This tea relieves inflammation well.
• At night, to treat the disease, you can drink warm milk with the addition of butter and honey. In a glass of heated milk, stir a tablespoon of honey and a little butter. This drink is good for relieving a sore throat.

Sore throat in children

Children quite often suffer from sore throat. At the same time, the onset of the disease can often be confused with ARVI. The disease always begins with pronounced symptoms. The child develops a high temperature, chills and a headache. A sore throat makes it difficult for your child to swallow and he or she refuses to eat or drink. Often, other symptoms are accompanied by signs of poisoning of the body - diarrhea and vomiting.

Only mild types of sore throat are treated at home. For severe symptoms, treatment is carried out in a hospital setting. Treatment of the child should take place in bed rest, it is necessary to completely eliminate outdoor games, walks and bathing.

During the treatment period, the child should be given a lot of vitamins, food should be warm and easily digestible. It is best to give pureed dishes, porridges, jelly. Your child definitely needs to drink a lot.

Sore throat remedy for children

For the treatment of sore throat in children, medications are prescribed by a doctor. Usually several drugs with different effects are used. These can be antiviral drugs - Grippferon, Kagocel, Arbidol. They are used to treat viral types of sore throat.

To prevent complications and get rid of bacterial forms of sore throat, suspensions or tablets of Bactrim and Sulfazin are used. Antibiotics in various forms are most effective for treating such sore throats.

To relieve fever at temperatures above 38 degrees, use Nurofen or Paracetamol. For teenagers, Aspirin can be used. To prevent allergies Suprastin or Fenistil can be given to children for medications.

For throat irrigation Sprays and rinses can be used. This could be Ingalipt spray, Strepsils lozenges or tablets and the like. You can gargle with saline or soda solution.

Children must be given vitamins and vitamin complexes to maintain their body, for example, Pikovit or Multi-Tabs.

Inhalations for sore throat

Inhalations are an effective way to treat sore throat. It has long been time-tested. During the procedure, the drug acts only on the site of inflammation - the tonsils. This allows you to stop the inflammatory process, improves the patient’s well-being and speeds up the recovery process.

Inhalations can be carried out over a kettle or pan with a medicinal solution, covering the patient’s head with a towel, or with a more modern method - a nebulizer. It should be taken into account that inhalations cannot be carried out at elevated temperatures, heart disease or a purulent form of the disease.

You can use herbal decoctions, a solution of ordinary soda or an antiseptic for inhalation. It is best to carry out inhalations before bedtime, so that the patient can then rest peacefully.